Handheld computers, including personal digital assistants (“PDAs”) and palm-sized computers, traditionally provide the user with a wide variety of functions, such as a calendar, an address book, a task list, a notepad, and a calculator. More recently, handheld computers have also been used provide the user with functions such as remote email access, real-time internet access, web browsing and other advanced communication functions.
Traditionally, most handheld computers have had an outer enclosure or housing consisting of mating front and back shells coupled together by screws. The front and back shells enclose the electronic components of the handheld computer. A display screen and one or more application buttons are typically accessible on the front shell of the computer. The display screen may be a touch-sensitive screen that accepts entry from a stylus or pointer device, which typically is stored in a slot formed in the housing when not in use. More advanced handheld computers may also include components for enabling remote communication functions such as described above.
With traditional handheld computers, a separate flexible or rigid case is typically utilized for protecting the handheld computer, and particularly the display screens, when not in use. The separate case must be stored or accounted for when the computer is in use to prevent loss.
With some handheld computers, a separate case is not required because the housing has a hinged cover that can be pivoted to a closed position to protect the display and another position to access the display. With most such computers, the cover is connected to the housing by a pair of hinges which permit the cover to be pivoted either 180° to the side of the housing (i.e., in a “book open” style) or 360° to the rear of the housing. With both of these arrangements, when the computer is placed on a horizontal surface the housing is oriented such that the display and application buttons typically face directly upward. This can be disadvantageous because the display and application buttons are placed at an awkward angle for certain uses such as video conferencing. To address this problem, it is known to provide the computer with a separate base or cradle that can be used to position the computer housing at an angle relative to the work surface. However, the cradles are quite bulky compared to the handheld computers and thus create difficulties with portability. Moreover, like the use of separate protective cases noted above, the use of separate cradles means they must also be stored and accounted for when not in use. Although some handheld computers now available include pivotally attached covers capable of not only protecting the display but also functioning as a stand that positions the housing at an inclined angle relative to the work surface (which thus eliminates the need for a separate cradle), the hinge arrangements of the heretofore known computers are relatively complex multi-part structures.
Certain handheld computers generally have a fixed (i.e., non-customizable) external appearance. Although this may not have presented any concerns in the past (when handheld computers were purchased and used almost exclusively by business traveler's and other technically savvy individuals), the fixed appearances can unnecessarily limit the market potential of the handheld computers because of their increasing popularity with individuals having diverse backgrounds. Although after-market replacement housings are available for some of the most popular handheld computers, these replacement housings tend to be quite expensive. More importantly, the use of such replacement housings requires that the original housing of the handheld computer be opened up, which voids the manufacture's warranty.
It would be desirable to provide a handheld computer having an external appearance that can be readily customized by the manufacturer, the reseller or the consumer. It is further desirable to provide a method for readily changing the external appearance of a handheld computer that does not require opening of the computer housing.